Federal Electorate · Area profile
Macarthur
362 km²
A rapidly expanding part of Greater Sydney, Macarthur has grown by 61% since 2011 to become a major hub for young families. The area is notably younger than the national average, with a typical resident aged just 34. This shift is reflected in the community's character, where a high proportion of children and a surge in overseas arrivals have created a diverse, multi-lingual population. Large family homes and a growing workforce define this sprawling residential landscape.
Household incomes here are high, yet Macarthur's schools draw a notably less advantaged community.
Macarthur has many young families but fewer schools per child than most areas.
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The area is much younger than most, with 23.3% of residents being children under 15, a figure that rose 5.3 points since 2011. In contrast, the proportion of seniors has fallen 12 points over the same period to 11.7%, which is well below the national figure.
Macarthur is more diverse than the state and nation, with 31.8% of people born overseas—a significant rise of 22 points since 2011. The most common ancestries are Australian and English, followed by Irish, Indian and Scottish.
A striking 32.7% of residents use a language other than English at home, which is far above the national average. This linguistic diversity has grown rapidly, rising 30 points since 2011, though those speaking little or no English remain at about 3.9%.
Religious affiliation is more common here than in other areas, as the 22.5% of people with no religion is far below the national figure of 38.9%. Over half of the population identifies as Christian, followed by Islam at 9.8%.
Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 20.4% of the population, which is well below the New South Wales average. However, school completion has improved significantly, with 56.2% of residents completing Year 12, up 25 points since 2011.
Typical household weekly incomes are a little above the national figure at $1,904. While high-earning households (over $3,000 a week) rose 19 points since 2011 to 22.7%, the proportion of people earning $2,000 or more weekly remains lower than most areas.
Residents are slightly healthier than the state average, with 25.8% having a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are reported by 7.4% of the population, which is a little below the national figure.
The area has a very high rate of unpaid childcare at 30.3%, which is well above the national figure. Conversely, only 8.1% of residents volunteer, a figure that has fallen 12 points since 2011.
Families here tend to be larger, with 3.0 people per home, which is higher than most areas. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children (64.7%) and a much lower rate of people living alone compared to the state.
Detached houses are very common, with 83.3% of homes being separate houses and 85.9% having three or more bedrooms. Home ownership is shifting, as those who own their home outright fell 21 points since 2011 to 21.2%.
Working from home is much more common here than in most areas at 26.6%. While there are many public transport stops, only 2.5% of people commute using these services, and 45.8% of workers drive to their jobs.
The population is quite mobile, with 43.9% of residents moving in the last five years, which is well above the national figure. However, recent overseas arrivals at 8.9% are much lower than in most other areas.
About 60.3% of adults are working or looking for work, with an unemployment rate of 5.5%. The most common industries for local workers are health care and social assistance, followed by retail trade and construction.
Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park (94.6%) or public transport (88.1%). However, the area is far below the state average for access to health services and groceries, leaving the overall walkability score as only somewhat walkable.